To Be a Dragon
by Stratahawk
Summary: How does Kaiba do what he does if he moved to Dallas? See what his new life is like now with a certain comic book lady. (eventually Setox?)
1. anxiety

To be a Dragon

S. Hawk: New story on board!

Y. Hawk: Let's just get this over with.

Seto: Why the hell are you always doing stories about me?

S. Hawk: Boredom mostly. I can't think of a better subject anyways.

Chaos: S. Hawk does not own anything.

* * *

Chapter 1: anxiety

Sanctuary was what I wanted.

Anxiety is all I am given. For all my money and material worth, I still can't get the one thing I want…until now. I have been working as the CEO of Kaiba Corp for many years now. Sometimes, I just want to give up all this responsibility and do what I want to do. The only thing stopping me is Mokuba. I made a promise to him that I am going to take care of him for as long as I can. That means that I have to do this awful job that I hate. There are way too many stupid and impatient people in the business world. I am ready to breakdown and go straight to the insane asylum.

Fortunately, I have found my sanctuary. It was somewhere that I least expected to find it: a tea house. An American tea house is what it really is. I wasn't paying attention one day while I was walking around the city called Dallas and I happened upon this out of the way tea house. It served more than just tea, thankfully, but it still maintained a pseudo-Asian atmosphere to it. I didn't really care since it was quiet and I could be alone…for once.

That is the location of this ironic story. I never thought that what was going to happen would ever happen to me. It was far too late to do anything about it when I finally figured it out. I can't say that I'm upset by these events but it makes one wonder what strange things life can offer a person. I better start at the beginning.

It was a hot autumn day in Dallas. I was really surprised by the weather considering this was my first experience in Dallas. I just arrived from Domino City, Japan. After the recent Duel Monsters tournament, I had a company to expand. We made plans to expand into America and we started with Dallas. Well, that first week in Dallas was hell on earth. I can't believe how arrogant and pushy American business people are. There was no sign of respect from any of the employees. Oh, how I missed Japan that first week. It wasn't until I discovered the tea house that I truly thought that I belong here in America.

The tea house itself was very small but it had a great location. It was half a mile from the business building that I was now starting. It sat next to a huge bookstore, several outlet clothing stores, some small restaurants, and most importantly the comic book shop. I don't indulge in much merchandise of that frivolous comic book shop that other people do. I just like it because very few people actually enter that place. It was a really quiet place when the tea house became too full of annoying college students. Another reason I like that comic book shop is because of her: comic book lady. I didn't learn her name until much later but that was what I called her.

She wasn't drop dead gorgeous but her reddish-brown hair that framed her slightly tinted face was enough to get my attention. I didn't think too much of her considering I just came to the tea house or comic book store to get some peace and quiet. I had found myself a usual table at both the tea house and the comic book shop. The interesting thing was that comic book lady also had a habit of coming to the tea house at 3:00 pm everyday and leaving at 7:00 pm. I know this because I usually arrive at the tea house ten minutes before she does and leave ten minutes after she does. I spend over four hours relaxing in these places each day. What about the company? I still have my laptop that I continuously do work on. It is like I never actually leave my office. Everyone at work assumes that I went home (the one in Dallas) to do work. I would do that if Mokuba wasn't at home (he transferred to the high school in Dallas so he could stay with me). Mokuba is my brother and I love him to death but dear God, can he be any needier? He continuously ask for money, to borrow the car, or if I have time to hang out with him. He assumes that I'm still at work until 8: 00 pm when I arrived home.

When the tea house is unusually noisy, we both make a retreat back to the shop. I've noticed that she worked at the comic book shop (hence the name) when I first passed by the place. It was later revealed to me that the comic book lady worked a regular morning shift from 8:00 am – 3:00 pm and she went to the tea house after work. Many of the local patrons of the store loved this girl. They say that she is very kind, helpful, and knowledgeable about any of the topics that they introduce to her. If she didn't know a topic, she was very interested to learn about it from anyone who was knowledgeable in that topic. I still believe it was because she was the only girl that would talk to those losers.

One particular day was the start of something different. The tea house was crammed full of college students who decided to have a club meeting in this establishment. I couldn't stand those annoying girls in there extremely tight and barely covering clothing. I hate those slutty women and especially those cocky frat boys. They think that they are so wonderful because daddy and mommy worked so hard to earn a lot of money so that they can blow it on fast women. I despise those morons because I had to work extremely hard for my fortune. The only comforting thing is that eventually, they will be working for me.

Since the tea house was packed, I decided to retreat to my second fortress of solitude. What the hell did I just say? I have been in that comic book shop too long. On this day, she saw that I was coming into the comic book shop so she called the tea house to place her "usual" on order. She would come pick it up when she got off of work. Apparently, she must have been a really friendly person with the manager of the tea house since she all of a sudden thanked him graciously about how he was such a nice guy to bring it up to her. So, we both had our "usual" and we were sitting at our usual comic book tables. My usual consisted of dark coffee with no cream, no milk, and very little sugar and a sesame bagel with cream cheese. I was sitting at the table in the far corner and she was sitting at the table right next to mine. All of a sudden, she breaks routine and starts talking to me!

"I see that your back here again on your laptop. I noticed that you come here when the crowd gets a little rowdy at the tea house. I can't blame you since I don't like the noise either. I bet you come in here for the peace and quiet. Of course, I'm breaking your peace and quiet by talking now. You know what? I'll shut up now."

I couldn't believe she actually had the nerve to talk to me! I can here to be left alone and she was chatting with me! How bold of such a small lady! I was about to tell her off when I noticed that she stopped making noise immediately after saying that. I realized that she has always been at that table near me and I barely heard a peep out of her any of the times she has sat next to me. I did something that was very strange at that moment.

"I do come here for the peace but I don't mind if you talk to me. Just keep it quiet and try not to be too disruptive."

What the hell did I just say? I actually told her that she could talk to me! Why the hell did I do that? It's too late now to change anything. I should have told her off at that time and none of what happened would have happened. Unfortunately, she turned and smiled at me. She started to write again on her notebook paper. Every time I come in her, she is always writing something. I was extremely curious about it. She happened to guess that I was curious because of what she said next.

"I'm working on some poems. I'm an aspiring poet and novelist. Do you want to see some of my poems? You can read these two while I head to the lady's room. Tell me what you think."

With that, she left me to read her stupid poems. I never really understood the attractiveness of poetry until I read her poems.

Each one of us is a stranger to one another yet I feel that your  
Meaningful existence has truly inspired true friendship in my  
Aspiring life. I live with you near me  
Not out of dependence but out of true acceptance for  
In your heart lies my future and our happiness.  
Everything I have shared with you is my feelings and  
Life has honored me with your friendship.  
Like any other woman, I have feared the harshness that  
Idiotic females have been known to express which can freeze

Ice and burn the raging inferno. I know not the  
Subtlety of a female until your

Awakening eyes set me free of my burdens.

Birds fly for you and butterflies flutter at your command so that  
Each of them can experience your warmth  
And every one of them can be given a reason to live.  
Until that day, I walk in the shadow of my brother and  
That fear and dependence chokes me.  
I know now the love of one true friend to another and let me say this  
For you and for you only:  
Until the sun set on your  
Lovely mind and body,

Life will  
Allow me to stay by your side my  
Dearest and truest friend.  
You are so beautiful and don't let the world tell you differently.

I couldn't believe what I just read. Even though it was kind of cheesy, the heart-warming words felt so dear to me. I wish I was the friend that she was talking about. I believed that I never will have a friend like that. How little I know about the future. I didn't waste any time reading the next one.

Now that I'm back with my dearly beloved,  
Inseparable we have become and only happiness prevails.  
I cannot forget his love for it gave the light to see with.

So much love and respect I have for him yet  
Anger clouds his judgment. No matter how much he  
Needs, he is still willing to give it all to me.

Just when nothing could tear us apart, she  
Opens her mouth and my beloved follows like an  
Eager puppy behind her. Oh how I wish  
You would be so faithful to me but I do not regret.

When all was dark and gloomy, you lifted me to the  
Highest point that you could lift me. I remember  
Every moment of your love and kindness yet  
Every time I need you now, blond hair walking away is all  
Life shows me. I will not blame you for loving her but  
Everything we experienced together will  
Remain special, won't it big brother

Her brother would abandon her like that? I couldn't believe the words that I had read. This is almost something Mokuba could have written. I haven't been there as much as I should be. He still needs me. I will not be like this mutt that has abandoned comic book lady! Of course, I might have to learn her real name and she learn mine.

She eventually came back and I handed her back her poems. This was the beginning of something that may or may not be a terrible thing in my life. It is far too early to tell.


	2. brother

To be a Dragon

S. Hawk: Chapter two is ready.

Ichigo Neko: I can't believe that you're writing a non-humorous story.

Y. Hawk: It could have been a dark story so be happy for small favors.

Black Kitty: Meow! (S. Hawk owns nothing… that includes me)­­­­

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**Reviewers:** Only one person reviewed so I guess this is for her. I'm glad you like this story Emy. I am always glad for any reviews even flames at some time.**

* * *

Chapter 2: brother**

I can't help but resent comic book lady. Until I met her, I never realize how far Mokuba and I have drifted apart. He has his own friends and we haven't talked in a long time. After reading comic book lady's poem, I changed by spending some extra time with Mokuba. It was a great change according to Mokuba. He loves me so dearly and my alienation of him has hurt him deeply. I wasn't planning on doing anything that would hurt him but it was the way I had been raised. Gozaburo has conditioned me to be a cold-hearted CEO of his company and I went along with it.

I was 10 years old when I was adopted by this man. I remember being so excited and happy that Mokuba and I will have a family. I couldn't wait to see how the rich live. Unfortunately, I learnt that real life falls short of expectations every time. Gozaburo Kaiba was a cruel man. The day he brought us to his mansion was the day that he separated us for several years. Gozaburo locked me up in a room so high with books that it almost touches the fifteen feet high ceiling. This was merely my daily reading assignment. Each day, the pile is replaced with different books. The cruelty of this man goes further than just the books. He had me on a leash… literally. It was used to restrain me from outside distractions while my professors drilled into me their horrific lessons. While other children were outside playing or in their beds sleeping, I was forced to study for 23 ½ hours daily. I was given half an hour sleeping time so my body could have some rest. However, truly successful businessmen don't need such weaknesses such as sleep or emotion. He railed the latter into me repeated. Even to this day, my body is still scarred from all beatings I had by his evil hands.

The absolute worse part was what he did to me doing our "bonding time". He needed to give the illusion that he spends quality time with my brother and me so he tell everyone that he has a daily bonding time with me. What that entitles is me being chained and whipped while he tries and gain some release. The funny thing is that people wondered why I had such a problem sitting like it wasn't obvious. I took this from him for five years until he decided that he wanted some bonding time with Mokuba.

Unbeknownst to Gozaburo, Mokuba has found ways out of his room and paid me visits regularly during those five years. The only reason I maintain the amount of human I did was because of Mokuba. I wasn't about to let Gozaburo take away Mokuba's innocence like he did mine. In the heated argument that occurred, Gozaburo tripped on his office chair and fell out his 52nd story window… or so people believed.

The truth is that I shoved him during our argument and that caused him to trip on his chair. He didn't fall out the window at that point. He merely knocked himself unconscious against the glass window. Remembering all the things he done to me, I opened the window and I let gravity do what gravity does. This truth will be with me until I die. It will be buried with me and no one will ever know. Such is my fate if I continue down the road that I am now traveling.

I didn't care about my welfare as long as Mokuba was all right. Now, comic book girl gave me the worst gift imaginable: hope for a better life. I was doing so well up until this point. All this flowed through my mind as she sat down at her usual table at the tea house. I should have gone over and yelled at her for what she made me realize. That would have stopped the future events from happening. It is the regret that we all have: if we know then what we know now, would we still make the same choices we did? At the time, I decided to drop the subject and return to my blissful silence. She didn't bother me since she has another book to read. This silence lasted until about 6:00.

At that time, some rowdy guy decided to flirt with comic book girl... loudly. This made me very angry, not because of him hitting on comic book girl, but because he is ruining my silence. Comic book girl looked around for help as the guy harasses her. I couldn't stand it any longer so I did something I believe was foolish. I went over to comic book girl and dragged her back to my table. The guy was about to say something to me but my death glare intimidated him into leaving.

"Girl, you realize how lucky you are that I was here to help you?" She sheepishly blushed and nodded. I could tell that I was embarrassing her so I returned to my laptop and continued to work. She sat down in a chair at my table and began to read her book again. "You never told me what you thought of the poems."

I froze in mid-typing. Did she just talk to me again? I decided that it wouldn't hurt to answer her. "I thought poetry was usually crap but your poems were decent. I wouldn't mind reading some more if you have any." She smiled and told me that she will bring some with her next time.

**The next day**

Business is hell. I spent the morning reworking the designs on my newest hologram projectors. How can those stupid people screw up so badly like they did? It must be because of that Mexican…what was his name? Pedro? That might be it. That guy is so useless! Stupid affirmative-action, equal-opportunity…. If I had it my way, I would only hire the most qualified applicants based on their performance, not their ethnicity. This is such an insult to my workforce. I have to hire less qualified people because some racist "WASPs" had to be so bluntly stupid. I would hire a three-legged, bearded woman to be my engineer if she was qualified. Chances are that the media would hear about it, assume I was only doing it for the publicity, and label me a "media whore" for hiring her. They so readily assume the worst intentions in people.

That is how my morning went, fixing some Mexican mistakes since he doesn't believe in science. He is very religious and he convinced himself that since science wasn't written in the Bible, it is wrong. (_1_) Someone really must fix the education system around here if guys like him become engineers. My only salvation was that it was getting closer to 3:00.

I finally made it out of that horrid place and back at the comic book shop. She arrived shortly and sat down at my table. I was about to tell her get away from my table when she placed a poem in front of me.

* * *

(poem)

Eternal falls as a drop of water in

My mind as I ponder what makes

You so unhappy in life.

Darkness comforts your warmness and

Evils of humanity fool the eyes of

Spirituality when other people's

Evil desires harm the

Robust heart of my beloved friend.

Violence portrays itself on my mind

Even though such actions

Solves nothing in the end.

Harmony and friendship is all I have to offer

As the material bindings of this world

Pretends to be comforting and squeezes the

Priceless life out of you fragile body.

I see that you are strong yet my hands are

Nearby and ready to help

Evolve you to the being you truly are even though my

Small hands can't compare to the

Superficial offerings of the wicked.

* * *

I can't believe she understood that! Money doesn't bring happiness…finally someone understands. Everyone always assume having my wealth must be great even though at the end of the day, I go home to a big, empty mansion. All the size of my house does is made me feel more alone than I thought was possible.

I told her I enjoyed the poem and we spent the rest of our time sitting next to each other, in our own separate world. Her world was in her book and mine was in my laptop. The time passed by without me noticing until comic book lady got up, offered a soft goodbye, and left. I forgot that she was even there. She didn't bother me and I didn't bother her so we had no problems. Ten minutes later, I left to go home.

**The Day After**

I really should have fired Pedro that day. He convinced the media that he could create a better duel disk than mine. He said that the only reason he hasn't yet is because he doesn't want to make me look bad. What the hell is wrong with the media? When I say something, it can't be good and when a retarded Mexican speaks, it has to be true since he is a minority. My hate list is going longer the more I stay here in this world. I should just become a hermit and live by myself in my mansion without any human contact. Well, I was close to that already.

Since my firing him would have been taken as me being evil, I ignore him. I can't believe that I didn't fire him. It might have changed things. Would his firing made the future better or worse than it already is? The unsolved questions in life are always the ones that come to you in the end.

I couldn't believe that I survived until 3 but I did. It was fall when I sat down at my table in the comic book shop. I went to work immediately until she walked up next to me. I couldn't understand why she was standing next to me when there were plenty of empty tables around. I was so close to telling her to go away. Instead of telling her off, I said one word, "Sit!"

That one word changed around relationship. At that point, I was no longer just some guy and she was no longer just some girl that happens to be around the same area at the same time. We now are two people who will meet at the same table at the same time. It was our slow yet very doomed steps towards our friendship and possibly, our self-destruction.

How does one know such simple acts could change that one's destiny? They don't so I wouldn't worry about it. Luckily at the time, she had another poem to let me read.

* * *

(poem)

Great friends they are to nii-san but stranger  
Envisions me when I look at them.  
Each one is special but  
Kindness doesn't equal friendship.

Growing inside of me is frustration of having to  
Run to them when they call as if my  
Own self-worth is that of a puppy.  
Unhappiness is around me as I am forced to be around these  
People who are not my friends yet won't let me be free.

* * *

DAMN! This is one reason that I don't have any friends. They just get too clingy. The only people who came closer to being my friends were Yugi and his gang. I have no idea what happened to them after high school. I think Yugi is still in Japan running his grandpa's game shop. That mutt Jou is living with that hussy Mai somewhere in America. I think it was somewhere near the mutt's sister. The friendship girl is in New York studying dance and the rest were not important to remember. The only reason I know about friendship girl is that she somehow found out about my instant messenger screen name and is stalking me. I think it was Mokuba who told her but I can't prove it.

I told her that I rather not comment on this poem and she understood. We understand each other. Could this be a good thing…or a bad thing? Like I said, it's far to early to tell.

A/N

_

* * *

1. I'm not making fun of any religious group. I just felt like saying to a certain Mexican who told me that science was wrong because it wasn't written in the Bible that he should probably find a different major than engineering. I mean, come on! Do I really need to explain myself here? Can anyone besides me see the irony of this situation?_

S. Hawk: Chapter 2 is done.

Ichigo Neko: Wow, that was some foreshadowing. I feel kind of depressed.

Hawkeye: Message for S. Hawk! Safety word 5: Elric!

Joey: What?

Chaos: Don't worry about that; it's a secret code from the military.

Black Kitty: Meow. (Please R&R.)


End file.
